[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 106 (Friday, May 31, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27333-27334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13644]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
LaGrange County, Indiana Sewer District; Final Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
is issuing a final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS)
related to the LaGrange County, Indiana Sewer District's proposal to
construct sanitary wastewater collection and treatment facilities for
residential population centers. The final PEIS was prepared pursuant to
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (U.S.C. 4231 et
seq.) in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR
1500-1508) and Farmers Home Administration's procedure (7 CFR 1940,
Subpart G, Environmental Program). RUS invites comments on the
alternative analyses performed by and addressed in the final PEIS.
The purpose of this PEIS is to evaluate the environmental impacts
of proposed alternative strategies to provide treatment of sanitary
wastewaters for rural residential population centers in LaGrange
County. Discussion of each alternative's impact on the human
environment, including risks to public health and safety, and effects
on the natural environment is presented. The proposed action is
necessary in order to respond to increased public health concerns and
the continuation of surface and ground water degradation caused by
inadequately treated wastewater effluent. This PEIS provides a planning
tool to County officials and citizens and engineers who will select the
most appropriate design and implementation strategy to address LaGrange
County's wastewater problems.
The Preferred Alternative
Fund a Decentralized Wastewater Collection and Treatment System for
Residents in Densely Populated Areas Using Engineered Wetlands
Treatment Processes: This alternative involves the use of pressure or
gravity collection systems to convey wastewater to multiple engineered
wetland treatment facilities. Collection and conveyance technologies
considered for this option will be the same as those analyzed for the
centralized treatment facility option.
[[Page 27334]]
Treatment alternatives for this option will include: wetlands
application followed by land application (spray irrigation) of the
effluent; wetlands application followed by disinfection and surface
water discharge; and wetlands application followed by subsurface
discharge.
Other Alternatives Presented in the PEIS
The following project alternatives were identified in feasibility
studies conducted for the LaGrange County Sewer District and analyzed
in this PEIS. Even though they are creditable technical alternatives,
they were not selected as the preferred alternative.
Continued Use of On-Site Waste Disposal Systems (No Action
Alternative): This alternative would not address the present public
health concerns or the continued degradation of the County's surface
and ground water.
Centralized Wastewater Collection and Treatment for all County
Residents Using Conventional Wastewater Treatment: This alternative
would provide wastewater collection and treatment service for all
county residents. This option would use either gravity, or pressure
sewers to convey wastewater to a centralized facility. Collection and
conveyance alternatives that were analyzed for this option include:
small diameter gravity systems; small diameter pressure systems using
single connection effluent grinder pumps; and conventional gravity
collector lines connected to pressure lines for conveyance to the
treatment facility. Activated sludge process alternatives that were
considered for this option included: oxidation ditches, and extended
aeration.
Centralized Wastewater Collection and Treatment for All County
Residents Except for Residents in Remote Locations Using Conventional
Activated Sludge Waste Treatment Processes: This alternative involves
providing water waste collection and treatment services for all of the
County's residents except those located in isolated regions. This
option would use the same collection and treatment technologies as the
option providing wastewater treatment for the entire County. Cost
savings over serving the entire county would be realized because of the
high unit cost of serving remote residences.
ADDRESSES/FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information,
contact or for transmittal of written comments send to: Paul Neumann,
State Environmental Coordinator, USDA, Rural Development, RUS, 5975
Lakeside Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46278, (219) 290-3109, and FAX (219)
290-3011. Copies of the final PEIS will be available for public
inspection, during normal business hours at the following locations:
LaGrange Town Clerk, 107 S. High Street, LaGrange, IN 46761
Town of Topeka, Attn: Duane Bontrager, 101 Main Street, Topeka, IN
46571
Town of Shipshewana, Attn: Ruth Ann Downey, P.O. Box 486, 345 N. Morton
Street, Shipshewana, IN 46565
Town of Wolcottville, Attn: Elizabeth Hodge, P.O. Box 325, 101 W. Race
Street, Wolcottville, IN 46795.
The draft final PEIS will be distributed to various Federal, State,
and local agencies, and elected officials.
Dated: May 13, 1996.
Wally Beyer,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-13644 Filed 5-30-96; 8:45 am]
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